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Garund (Continent)
Garund (gah-ROOND) is a continent on Oerth located south of Athas, across the Sea of Storms. At one time, central Garund was the heart of civilization in the hemisphere. It was a major holding for the Osiriani Empire, but after its fall thousands of years ago, it is once again uncharted and mostly uncivilized, but numerous ruins await bold adventurers. Today, there are a handful of city-states dotted throughout the northern reaches of the continent, north of the Barrier Wall (a mountain range). Beyond that is the unexplored and largely impassable Mwangi Expanse, which consists of rugged mountains, impossibly thick jungles, swift rivers and vast savannah. What lies south of the Expanse is currently unknown, the region referred to as Darkest Mwangi. The three main waterways found in northern Garund, along which most of the life north of the Barrier Wall, are the Black Flow, the River Sphinx and the Jodin River. Garund is typically extremely, unbearably, inhumanly hot and tends to be quite dry north of the Barrier Wall. South of that is the vast, wet, tropical jungle known as the Mwangi Expanse. Despite the cities found throughout the desert and wastes of the northern reaches, it remains a wild and dangerous place. Whether one is exploring the unmapped jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, traversing the magic-blasted Mana Wastes, or braving the horrific wastelands of the Kraal, there are many ways to die throughout Garund. City-States Adara Adara lies in a vast valley which most now call the Flatlands, built upon the ruins of the ancient, lost Osiriani civilization. Modern Adarans are called “The Peaceful People”, due to their tendency toward extreme pacifism. They make music rather than war and kill nothing if they can help it; they do not even kill animals, eating only fruit and grains. They are widely sought after by slavers who consider them to make the best slaves and raiders believe them to be easy prey for raiding. The Adarans believe in one god, the Lord of Harmony, who has existed and will exist for all time. He is the source of all creation in their mythology. Adarans revere butterflies as messengers of the Lord, charged with protection of the people of Adara. These legends originate from the butterfly fever that have ravaged conquerors throughout history. Aulanni Rests atop a hill and beside a low river. The surrounding area is a land of rolling hills, terraced farms and white-stucco villages. The city has three large bells, each with its own name and distinct voice, that are run to govern every aspect of city life. Aulanish men can be recognized by their dyed and upswept mustaches. The city is run by a council of merchants, chosen by the Bearded Priests. Garbad A southern city, Garbad is ruled by an Archmage. The Garbadi are known for their greed. Traders deal exclusively in slaves and Garbad pear brandy and Garbadi armorsmiths make intricate armor in fantastic shapes. Izhil Also known as “The Secret City”, is a wealthy and powerful city, founded by slavers escaping their captors. The ancestry of the founders of Izhil is highly diverse, even racially, and thus temple can be found in Izhil for all gods, even for the Moonsingers of the Further South. A seafaring city composed of many tiny islands, Izhil is known for its ships with pink hulls and sails and the guild of assassins known as the Dark Brotherhood. Matmatar Situated in the main continent, lying in the vast Forest of Matmatmar. It is known for its fine tapestries and its smiths, who have the rare ability to reforge Adamantine. The Black Goat is the prominent god in the city. The city guard are comprised entirely of Eunuch warriors. Nephir The Kingdom of Nephir is at the southern edge of the Garu Peninsula, which juts into the Three Seas. It is the southernmost nation on the peninsula and are said to make the fastest sailing ships in the south, maybe even the world. The kings and princes of this small, pastoral kingdom pay their northern neighbors a hefty tribute of grain, gems and girls to keep the tribal societies out. Due to this, they are the most peaceful country in Garund, though they are said to have a surprisingly formidable navy, who focus more on maneuvers than bulk or firepower. Obi (OH-bye) Obi is a large island that also encompasses the islands known as “The Shackles” and nicknamed “Slaver’s Bay”. It has become a wealthy hub of the global slave trade. The modern people of Obi take great pride in their heritage. The cities maintain the symbol of the Hydra and freeborn citizens call themselves “Sons of the Snake”. The old Garundi tongue has been largely forgotten. Most modern Obi speak in the language of Common and Giant, twisted by a growling accent and peppered with slaver slang. They still write in ancient Garundi glyphs, however. Slavery in the dominant industry of Obi and the cities’ slave traders form their ruling aristocracy. The slavers call themselves the Good Masters and dress in toga-like garments that only the freeborn may wear. The value of the material used to make these garments indicate their wealthy and rank of the Master wearing it. Slavers and their families live in opulent luxury, floating on pleasure barges at dusk and hosting elaborate festivals honor their history at night, often with the use of music, dancing, alcohol, hashish and floating lanterns. Slaves, on the other hands, often endure brutal treatment. Suph’e Suph’e is an ancient port city situated upon the Golden Gates, Suph’e is brimming with culture and commerce. Brimming with wealth, Suph’e architecture makes a grand display. It is home to warlocks and merchant princes and nominally ruled by an ancient race who call themselves Illumian. However, the powerful merchant guilds and spicers guilds all attempt to play a role in the governance of the city. It is referred to as the Queen of the East. Suph’e is nominally ruled by the Illumians, who are seated in the Hall of a Thousand Lifetimes. They deal with all matters of civic importance, commanding the Civic Guard and the fleet of ornate war galleys which rule the straits between the seas. However, the powerful guilds and the Scales of War—the adventurers guild—all jostle for their role in governance and the political machinations of the city. Ulbad Also known as Far Ulbad, it is a narrow region on the Garu Peninsula along the shore of the Gulf of Esos. It is an insular nation; a hot, dark, grey land of shapechangers and demon hunters. A wall surrounds the realm, letting none in or out. Due to this, little known about Ulbad proper. Yazzd Yazzd is located along the Akhud Peninsula’s northern stretch. Astapor and the Worm River are north of the Garucari Hills. Yaazd was once the foundation of an old society. As such, Yaazd is home to many ancient temples, ruins and other sites that adventurers have been trying to explore for centuries now. Yaazd is home to the dreaded Basilisk Point; a stretch of rocky coast where Basilisk dwell in great number. Yaazd is covered by dense jungle, though it is not as rugged as neighboring regions; much of Yaazd is grassy, tropical lowlands. Rains fall heavy all year round, though the Monsoon Season brings seasonal flooding. Other Important Locales Kraal The Red Waste of Kraal is a barren and unforgiving landscape of stunted trees, devil grass and ancient ruins. It is a land of low hills, barren windswept plains, dry rivers and red parched soil, where the necessities of living are hard to come by. There are few things in Kraal that will support life. There is little forage and shallow, bitter, stagnant pools of water. Wood is hard to find, with the best being gnarled and tough. The only city within Kraal is the Oasis of Okud, a city ruled by the painted Kings of Sand. It is an exotic city famous for its perfumes, spices and salt. Land of the Shrykes The Land of the Shrykes is a hot, tropical region. The Land of the Shrykes, which lies between Suph’e and Niruud, is not a nation as much as an enclosed region. Despite it’s (relatively) large size, there are only three cities and are each surrounded by massive stone walls, the face of which are covered with ancient runes. The three cities of the Shrykes are Morn, Bonetown, and Olbacat, which serves as the ad hoc capitol for the region. Olbcat is located along the eastern coast; Bonetown is located near the Bone Gate, in the western mountains, serving as a bordertown between Kraal and the Land of the Shrykes. Morn is built around a massive, three-pronged black tower at the Black Gate along the northern border of the realm. All but the most ambitious or daring (or foolish) travelers avoid the Land of the Shrykes. Olbacat has a peculiar ritual to welcome ships into harbor that involves blessings from a priest wearing black robes and a bull’s skull as a helmet and the raising of many gates and drawbridges, as their walls extend even into the water. Each city is more or less self-sufficient, magically growing food, fishing or otherwise providing the bare minimum for themselves, supplements with trade. Their main exports are strange art, clothes and exotic fabrics. Their cities do not have gates leading out of the city except for the harbor. People do not leave the city and those who do, do not return. The other two cities aside from Olbacat do not let outsiders in; very, very few outsiders have ever set foot inside Bonetown or Morn. The lands outside of the city seems normal, but is referred to as The Green Hell and is said to be a dangerous place populated by shrieking monsters. The wild men who dwell in these wilds are half-mad cannibals who perform unspeakable rites on any they can find to slake the hunger of mad gods. Ralash Ralash is an inland region; its landscapes of steppes and plains is home to the nomadic equestrian orc tribes, who constantly battle each other and raid the surrounding lands. Save for some very old, overgrown highways, there are no surviving roads, hills or cities throughout the vast majority of Ralash, leaving an ocean of unbroken rippling grass. Over a hundred types of grass grow on the plains, often growing thick and taller than a man’s head and from afar look like a sea as it rolls like waves in the breeze. Some rivers run through the lands, though they are often shallow and shift with the seasons; overall, sand is more prevalent than water. Its only inhabited city, an ancient ruin called Gundabad, lies at the heart of the grasslands and is home and heart to the orc people and culture. Other than that it is largely empty with packs of wild dogs, Displacer Beasts, herds of free ranging horses and prides of lions. There are over 30 ruined cities, forts and temples from the ancient empire that once inhabited this land. They are a common draw for adventurers. Biology and Inhabitants Garund is home to many races of sentient creatures. While the true number is far too large to record accurately here, this list will cover those most common that are native to the region. Please bear in mind that Athans often travel south into Garund to explore or hunt treasure. The Common People * Aarakocra: Sequestered in high mountains, the aarakocra, occasionally called the birdfolk, evoke fear and wonder from all who look upon them. They look much like large, humanoid birds. They are expert fliers and tend to be fastidious about their plumage, with a love for precious metals. They are a proud warrior race. * Hadozee: A race of simian-like humanoids, hadozee are often referred to as "winged deck apes." It's easy to see where they would come by such a moniker: They are covered in light brown fur, with a slightly stooped posture, a shaggy mane, and a fanged muzzle. And they have flaps of skin that hang beneath their arms that enable gliding, if not true flight. Because they're also good climbers and balancers, hadozee are particularly suited for life aboard a ship sailing the seas of adventure. * Half-Orcs: Due to the proliferation of interaction between the nomadic Orcs of Kraal and various human cities and tribes, the half-orcs are found in greater numbers in Garund. Their lot is much better than in the north, as the taboo against orcs is not so strong in these lands as they are in the north. * Human: As with most of Oerth, humans are the primary inhabitants of Garund. Those who dwell north of the Barrier Wall are known as "Garundi", while those who dwell in the Mwangi Expanse, south of the Barrier Wall, are referred to as Mwangi. * Illumian: A race of bald humanoids who possess a mystical connection to the magic runes that make up their alphabet. Glowing sigils surround them, granting the power of an eldritch language made flesh. They are driven by a need to understand a given situation, then master it. They are a cold, intellectual race who think and see the world differently than most other races. * Lizardfolk: Massive, primitive, muscular reptilian humanoids who dwell in the jungles and swamps of Garund (mostly south of the Barrier Wall) in semi-nomadic tribes. They are found in greater numbers in the south than in Athas, and that’s saying something. * Orcs: The orcs of Garund live in nomadic, equestrian tribes mostly based in the Kraal Wastes. They are as brutal and violent and borderline feral as ever, but they seem to be more open to interacting with outsiders and do not follow the teachings of Gruumsh, unlike their northern cousins, and instead worship a horse god called “Hohk” (or “horse” in the regional orc dialect). * Tabaxi: Also called “jaguar people” or “cat-men” are a race of feline humanoids native to the savannahs and jungles of Garund. They are cousins of the Catfolk of Athas, but are noticeably different in many ways. They stand a full foot taller than most humans, and their slender bodies are covered in spotted or sometimes striped fur. They have long tails and retractable claws, and their eyes allow them to see at night. They tend to be bold, daring and sneaky. * Thri-Kreen: An insectoid race that lives in the deserts of northern Garund. They are a race of nomads and hunters, using supernatural methods of camouflage to get close to their prey before they strike. They have no discernable emotions and are seen as utterly alien to all who meet them. Enemies of the Common Races * Acromantula: The massive, intelligent giant spiders dwell in the forests of the Mwangi expanse in great numbers. * Ammit: A horror of the northern rivers, the Ammit is a humanoid crocodile covered in shaggy fury, standing over nine feet tall. * Gnolls: The most prolific killers and monsters by far, the gnolls roam the blasted wastes and vast savannahs in vast packs, slaughtering all they come across and taking any survivors as slaves and food. * Goblins: The goblins live in large underground colonies made in tunnels that criss-cross through the various mountain ranges and can be found throughout Garund. * Inkanyamba: A massive snake with the head of a zebra, it dwells in the deep pools and rivers found through the jungles. Its anger is said to cause unseasonal storms. * Jengu: A violent, evil cousin to the merfolk of Athas. * Rompo: A creature with the head of a hare, arms like a badger, a skeletal torso and human ears. It is hungry for human flesh and sings a sonorous song to itself as it feasts.